Computer enclosure with drive bracket

ABSTRACT

A computer enclosure ( 100 ) includes a cage ( 50 ) and a drive bracket ( 10 ). The cage includes a base wall ( 60 ), and two side walls ( 62 ) extending upwardly from the base wall. A box-shaped supporting portion ( 64 ) is formed from a front edge of the base wall. A top portion of a front edge of each side wall extends inwardly and rearwardly to fold back over itself and form a fastening device ( 66 ). Each fastening device includes two symmetrically opposing L-shaped portions ( 68 ), and a sliding space ( 69 ). A pair of L-shaped latches ( 20 ) is outwardly stamped from each of opposite side plates ( 14 ) of the drive bracket, for being received in the sliding space of the corresponding fastening device. A plurality of apertures ( 74 ) is defined in the supporting portion in alignment with a plurality of holes ( 24 ) of the drive bracket, for extension of screws therethrough.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to computer enclosures, and in particular to computer enclosures having fastening devices for readily securing drive brackets to the enclosures and readily detaching the drive brackets from the enclosures.

[0003] 2. Related Art

[0004] When a conventional computer is assembled, a drive bracket is firstly mounted in a computer enclosure. Then data storage devices such as a hard disk drive (HDD), a floppy disk drive (FDD) and a compact disk read only memory (CD-ROM) drive are attached to the drive bracket.

[0005] Users and manufacturers require the drive bracket to be installed in the computer enclosure quickly and easily. A drive bracket is typically secured to a computer enclosure by riveting or by using a number of screws. However, such means are cumbersome and time-consuming. Extra components such as rivets or screws increase costs. Furthermore, during assembly, extra operating space for attaching the rivets or screws is required.

[0006] Computers are continually being made smaller and smaller. All space inside a computer enclosure needs to be used, such as space under a drive bracket. Electronic components located under the drive bracket need to be maintained or replaced from time to time, requiring removal of the drive bracket. Therefore, easy removal of the drive bracket is required.

[0007] Examples of conventional computer enclosures are disclosed in Taiwan Patents Nos. 296079, 296078 and 276790, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,367. Unfortunately, the computer enclosures disclosed therein have a number of shortcomings. In particular, when users want to access electronic components under drive brackets, the drive brackets must still be unscrewed. This is unduly laborious and inconvenient.

[0008] Thus, a computer enclosure which overcomes the abovementioned problems is desired.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a computer enclosure having fastening devices for readily securing a drive bracket to the enclosure and readily detaching the drive bracket from the enclosure.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a computer enclosure having fastening devices which firmly fix a drive bracket to the enclosure.

[0011] To achieve the above-mentioned objects, a computer enclosure comprises a cage and a drive bracket. The cage comprises a base wall, and two side walls extending upwardly from the base wall. A box-shaped supporting portion is formed from a front edge of the base wall. A top portion of a front edge of each side wall extends inwardly and rearwardly to fold back over itself and form a fastening device. Each fastening device includes two symmetrically opposing L-shaped portions, and a sliding space. A pair of L-shaped latches is outwardly stamped from each of opposite side plates of the drive bracket, for being received in the sliding space of the corresponding fastening device. A plurality of apertures is defined in a vertical wall of the supporting portion in alignment with a plurality of holes of tabs of the drive bracket, for extension of screws therethrough.

[0012] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be drawn from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention with the attached drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a computer enclosure in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0014]FIG. 2 is an assembled view of FIG. 1, with part of a cage of the computer enclosure cut away to better illustrate fastening structures of the computer enclosure; and

[0015]FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a computer enclosure in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Referring to FIG. 1, a computer enclosure 100 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a cage 50 and a drive bracket 10. The cage 50 has a base wall 60, and two side walls 62 extending upwardly from two lateral sides of the base wall 60. The drive bracket 10 is attached to the cage 50 by fastening devices 66 of the cage 50.

[0017] A front edge of the base wall 60 of the cage 50 extends upwardly and rearwardly to form a generally box-shaped supporting portion 64. The supporting portion 64 includes a vertical wall 70 extending upwardly from the front edge of the base wall 60, and a horizontal wall 72 extending perpendicularly and rearwardly from an upper end of the vertical wall 70. Three spaced apertures 74 are defined in the vertical wall 70, in horizontal alignment with each other. A slot 76 is defined in a middle portion of the horizontal wall 72 near a junction of the vertical wall 70 and the horizontal wall 72, and corresponding to a middle aperture 74 of the three apertures 74. A top portion of a front edge of each side wall 62 extends inwardly and rearwardly to fold back over itself, and further folds to form a corresponding fastening device 66. Each fastening device 66 includes two symmetrically opposing L-shaped portions 68. The two L-shaped portions 68 and the corresponding side wall 62 cooperatively define a T-shaped sliding space 69 therebetween.

[0018] The drive bracket 10 includes a bottom plate 12, two opposing side plates 14 extending upwardly from lateral edges of the bottom plate 12, and a front plate 16 extending upwardly from a front edge of the bottom plate 12. Two tabs 22 a, 22 b respectively depend from opposite sides of a bottom edge of the front plate 16. A third tab 22 c depends from a front portion of the bottom plate 12, corresponding to the slot 76 of the horizontal wall 72 of the cage 50. A hole 24 is defined in each tab 22 a, 22 b, 22 c. A pair of symmetrically opposite L-shaped latches 20 is outwardly stamped from each side plate 14. Each pair of L-shaped latches 20 cooperatively forms a T-shape configuration, for being received in the T-shaped sliding space 69 of the corresponding fastening device 66.

[0019] Referring also to FIG. 2, in assembly, the L-shaped latches 20 of the drive bracket 10 are received in the sliding spaces 69 of the fastening devices 66 of the cage 50. The L-shaped latches 20 are slid downwardly along the sliding spaces 69 until the bottom plate 12 of the drive bracket 10 abuts against the horizontal wall 72 of the cage 50. The third tab 22 c of the drive bracket 10 is received in the slot 76 of the horizontal wall 72. The holes 24 of the tabs 22 a, 22 b, 22 c are in alignment with the corresponding apertures 74 of the vertical wall 70 of the cage 50. Three screws (not labeled) are used to secure the drive bracket 10 to the cage 50. Two of the three screws are respectively extended through two of the holes 24 at opposite sides of the drive bracket 10. The two screws respectively engage in the corresponding apertures 74 at opposite sides of the cage 50. One of the three screws is extended through the corresponding middle aperture 74 to engage in the hole 24 of the tab 22 c.

[0020] In disassembly, the three screws are removed. The drive bracket 10 is then easily slid up and out from the cage 50.

[0021]FIG. 3 shows a computer enclosure 100′ in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention. Most of the structures of the computer enclosure 100′ are the same as those of the computer enclosure 100 of the first preferred embodiment. Therefore, detailed description of such same structures is omitted herefrom. An upper portion of a front edge of each side wall 62′ of a cage 50′ extends inwardly and rearwardly to fold back over itself, and further folds to form a corresponding fastening device 66′. Each fastening device 66′ is folded to form a generally T-shaped portion 68′. The T-shaped portion 68′ and the corresponding side wall 62′ cooperatively define two sliding spaces 69′ therebetween. A pair of L-shaped latches 20′ is stamped outwardly and downwardly from each of two side plates 14′ of a drive bracket 10′. In assembly, the L-shaped latches 20′ are slidably received in the sliding spaces 69′ of the fastening devices 66′. Three screws (not labeled) secure the drive bracket 10′ to the cage 50′, in like manner to the first preferred embodiment.

[0022] It is understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit thereof. Thus, the present examples and embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer enclosure assembly, comprising: a cage having a base wall and two side walls extending upwardly from opposite sides of the base wall, a fastening device being integrally formed from a front edge of each of the side walls, each of the fastening devices being folded to define a sliding space; and a drive bracket having a bottom plate and two side plates extending upwardly from opposite sides of the bottom plate, at least one latch being stamped from each of the side plates and being slidably received in the sliding space of a corresponding fastening device.
 2. The computer enclosure assembly as described in claim 1, wherein each of the fastening devices comprises two opposing L-shaped portions, the two L-shaped portions cooperatively define one of the sliding spaces therebetween, and each of the sliding spaces is generally T-shaped.
 3. The computer enclosure assembly as described in claim 2, wherein each of side plates of the drive bracket is stamped outwardly to form a pair of generally L-shaped latches, the pair of generally L-shaped latches being slidably received in the generally T-shaped sliding space of the corresponding fastening device.
 4. The computer enclosure assembly as described in claim 1, wherein each of the fastening devices has a generally T-shaped configuration, and defines a pair of sliding spaces thereat.
 5. The computer enclosure assembly as described in claim 4, wherein a pair of generally L-shaped latches is stamped outwardly and downwardly from each of the side plates of the drive bracket, and the pair of generally L-shaped latches is slidably received in the pair of sliding spaces of a corresponding fastening device.
 6. The computer enclosure assembly as described in claim 1, further comprising a supporting portion above the base wall of the cage for supporting the drive bracket.
 7. The computer enclosure assembly as described in claim 6, wherein the supporting portion comprises a vertical wall extending upwardly from a front edge of the base wall, and a horizontal wall extending rearwardly from a top edge of the vertical wall.
 8. The computer enclosure assembly as described in claim 7, wherein a plurality of apertures is defined in the vertical wall.
 9. The computer enclosure assembly as described in claim 8, wherein a plurality of tabs depends from a bottom edge of a front plate of the drive bracket, a hole being defined in each of the tabs corresponding to the apertures of the vertical wall.
 10. A computer enclosure, comprising: a base wall having a supporting portion for supporting a drive bracket; and two side walls extending upwardly from the base wall, each of the side walls having a fastening device, each of the fastening devices forming a sliding space for slidably receiving a stamped portion of a corresponding side plate of a drive bracket thereby fastening the drive bracket to the two side walls.
 11. The computer enclosure as described in claim 10, wherein a plurality of apertures is defined in the supporting portion in alignment with a plurality of holes defined in tabs depending from the drive bracket, for extension of screws therethrough.
 12. The computer enclosure as described in claim 11, wherein a slot is defined in the supporting portion rearwardly of and in alignment with one of the apertures, and the slot is adapted to receive a corresponding one of the tabs of the drive bracket. 